Suffering: Male Reader x TWDG

Chapter 7: The Old Barn

It was dark by the time you both emerged from the tunnel on the other side of the wall. Chloe turns off her flashlight to not attract any unwanted attention as she leads you into the forest. "How far is it to this barn?" You ask her.

"About three or four miles" she says. "So lets play a game, what about we both take turns asking the other a question and you have to answer truthfully, we'll get to know each other better. I'll go first, I saw what happened at dinner when Mia mentioned Johnsons son. You instantly changed the subject and I can read faces pretty well, you looked a bit upset so, what happened to him?".

"He died. I don't know of what. Johnson said I reminded him of his son and gave me this" you say pulling the ring out of your pocket and passing it to her. She examines it before handing it back to you. You shove it back into your pocket.

"To be honest, you do look like his son. In fact, when you were carried into the camp bleeding out I thought that's who you were. Anyway, your turn." she says poking your shoulder. You think for a couple seconds before asking "What are we going to do if we find Ethan and Alfie at the barn?".

"Probably scare them, or beat them up or something. I'm not sure. I didn't think that far ahead" she says as you both continue in the direction of the barn "I was kind of hoping that if we did something to them that they might become scared of you, considering you already hit one of them, and leave everyone alone. Anyway, that wasn't a proper question. Ask me another one". You try to think of another question.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened to your parents?" you ask hoping it isn't too sad of a story. She gives a sad smile before speaking "I was on a school trip when it happened so I don't know where they are. I like to think they're alive and well. What about yours". She freezes after asking this "Oh god, I forgot the whole attack on your camp thing. I'm so sorry".

You sigh slightly "It's okay. It's my fault, I shouldn't ask questions that I wouldn't want to be asked". You look up through the trees at the moon. "It's quite a nice night" you say deciding that the game should be put to an end before anymore uncomfortable questions are asked. After an hour of walking and chatting you finally slow as you see the barn in the distance. Inside it you can see a light.

You both hide in a bush nearby as you see two people come out of the barn. It's Ethan and Alfie. "Jackpot" Chloe whispers. You hear Alfie and Ethan talking so you hush her to hear what they are saying. "No I think we went too far with her." says Ethan shoving Alfie slightly "I mean you literally threatened to kill her all because she saw me get beat up". Your blood boils slightly as you hand slowly goes for your machete resting in its sheath.

Alfie speaks up, "Well, I wasn't actually gonna kill her but she needs to know her fucking place. And that new fuck Y//N, who the hell does he think he is, her knight in shining armour?". Ethan starts pacing around scratching his head "Look, lower your voice or the infected might hear us, I don't really care about this honour shit we have about how no one should disrespect us. I don't really care that Y/N bust up my nose. We'll get him back but I don't think we should threaten other people".

"Trouble in paradise?" says a man emerging from the other side of the clearing, he is wearing a black hoodie and is holding a hunting rifle. Ethan and Alfie freeze unsure what to do. He points the rifle at them before speaking again "You got a group or are you alone?". Ethan and Alfie put their hands up and start shaking slightly.

"Umm, no sir just us" says Ethan his voice trembling. You and Chloe both exchange glances at each other. You pull your pistol out its holster, from your position in the bush you would probably have a pretty clear shot if you need to. The man starts speaking again "You two got food I'm quite hungry". He says approaching them. Alfie freaks out pulling a knife from his belt and charges the man.

You sit in the bush unsure of what to do. The man struggles wrestling with Alfie before you hear a gunshot. The man steps back and you see Alfie look down at his own stomach. You see blood pouring out as Alfie collapses. You run out of the hiding spot raising your gun and unloading it into the man. Three shots, two in the chest and one in the head.

You see his body slump onto the floor as you run over to Ethan who's trying to stop Alfie from bleeding out. Chloe runs over to join you pulling out a rag and holding it on the wound. You wave your gun around at the woods looking for any sign of movement but you don't see or hear anything. "We need to get help" Ethan says looking at you and Chloe. You just shake your head, "We can't drag him all the way back to Fort Summer, and we certainly can't go off alone. One of the patrols should have heard the shots we just have to stay put and wait for them to arrive".

Chloe nods in agreement as all three of you wait with you continuously checking the perimeter for any movement whilst they both do the best they can with Alfie who has now passed out and is extremely pale. "I don't think he's alive anymore" Chloe says checking his pulse. Ethan looks up with shock "No, he's fine you're lying" he says with tears in his eyes. You pause before turning to the others, "Umm, guys what if he turns?" you ask as Chloe backs away from Alfie.

Ethan just sits there next to Alfie still putting pressure on the wound. You hear lots of footsteps and see about fifteen Militia soldiers emerge from the trees. They notice your Militia uniforms and lower their AK47s before looking at the scene. Suddenly Alfie sits up and grabs at Ethan's face trying to bite him.

Before you can react one of the soldiers shoots his rifle hitting Alfie in the side of the head. "Clear the barn, check the kid that got grabbed for bites and get those two out of here" says a soldier pointing at you and Chloe. You are both escorted away by soldiers who start walking you in the direction of Fort Summer. "We are so fucked" Chloe says hanging her head down.

One of the soldiers shoves her slightly before speaking "Don't talk. You kids knew what would happen if you snuck out, you were told multiple times. Now one of your friends are dead. The General will not be happy with you, hell I hate to think of what the punishment will be". He then turns to you. "And you're new. Clearly you're a bad influence, been here for like five minutes and got someone killed".

"Do not speak to him like that" says one of the soldiers who you recognise as Hank. The soldier immediately stops talking to you. "Yes sir, sorry sir" he stutters at Hank. After about an hour of walking in silence you reach the front gates of Fort Summer and watch as they slowly open. The General and Sergeant Edwards are standing there waiting. "We heard on the radio" Edwards says taking you and Chloe from the men "You can go back on patrol now" He says to them as they salute and head back off into the woods.

Edwards and the General guide you to the Generals office. The General sits down behind his desk looking quite cross. "Why am I here sitting at my desk at" he looks at his watch, "Twenty three hundred hours, having to deal with you?". You and Chloe are both standing in silence unsure of what to say. You look at Edwards who is standing behind you shaking his head. Chloe finally breaks the silence "It's my fault. I told Y/N we should go out to the barn to find Ethan and Alfie, but at the barn we were attacked by a man and he shot Alfie".

The General nods his head before standing up and opening his mouth to speak "The men on the radio said that the attacker was shot three times, two in the chest and one in the head. Clearly it wasn't Ethan who did it, he had his gun taken away after some threats were made to a fellow recruit. Which one of you did it?". You both stay silent. You don't want to admit to it in case he gets angry at you but instead Edwards speaks up.

"It was Y/N sir. Had to be I saw him shoot earlier today. He is a natural". You hang your head in shame and nod. The General sits back down in his chair and speaks once again "Good shooting Y/N, you saved lives out there, more people may have died if you had hesitated. I will decide what to do with you both tomorrow now go to bed and don't talk to anyone is that understood?".

"Yes sir" You both say saluting before leaving the office. You both look a each other and sigh before heading towards the quarters. On arriving, Chloe apologises to you which you refuse "Don't apologise" you say to her "If we weren't there they both could have died". She just shrugs before stepping into the girls cabin. You enter the boys cabin going straight to your room before flopping onto your bed and passing out.